The Sword of Intellect

Book - 5

Dhul-Qarnayn's sunrise

Mohammed Fareeduddin Siddique

Book Number: 5 Document number: 5.17 Dated Updated: 20th May 2004.

[Dhul-Qarnayn's sunrise sunset]

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Mr. Know-it-all deserves my thanks for pointing out to the verses that refers to DhulQarnayn's view of sunrise as shown in 18:86. Mr. Know-it-all believes exactly the words without taking its context as usual. Looking in the translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, "Towards Understanding the Qur'an" by Mawdudi, and, lastly Arabic dictionary [Lissan Al Arab]. We found that Mawdudi's tafsir and the Arabic dictionary to be the most comprehensive in giving information about this subject matter (second, of course, to just plain reading the Qur'an). Those verses are talking from Dhul-Qarnayn's perspective of where the sun set or rose. Dhul-Qarnayn found the sun setting in a murky spring, and Dhul-Qarnayn found the sun rising on a certain people. Allah gives His factual descriptions BEFORE describing how DhulQarnayn found where/when the sun was setting/rising. Until (Hattaa) as (idhaa) he reached (balagha) the place or time of sunset/west (maghriba)... (18:86) As (idhaa) he reached (balagha) the rise/time of rising [of celestial bodies]/break [of day] (maTli`a)... (18:90) Just like Morocco is called Al-Maghrib (the West) and we have a prayer at sunset time called Maghrib (the "a" on the end of the word in the verse is a vowel denoting accusative grammatical case) and Maghrib is used today even today to mean the direction west. The key here is that Dhul-Qarnayn found the sun setting in a murky spring. The verse is very explicit in showing that the setting-of-the-sun (and the rising) is from Dhul-Qarnayn's perspective. Knowing this information, we can understand the description of where the sun set and rose (from Dhul-Qarnayn's perspective) to be simply human descriptions of the areas (both westerly and easterly) of Dhul-Qarnayn's reign. As for Dhul-Qarnayn being Alexander the Great, that is only speculation at best. So don't jump on accusing the Qur'an of what it does not say. Some scholars say it may be Alexander the Great, but some scholars may be wrong sometimes too. They are not prophets. Muslims are warned not to follow blindly. We are taught to seek knowledge and correct our brothers if they do wrong. Know this at best the answer to the question of who is the personage of DhulQarnayn may be simply a speculation. Having said that, I know some scholars say it was King Cyrus, the Persian Emperor, who is described in the Book of Ezra as a God-fearing king who liberates the Israelites because he is such a God-fearing individual. (Source: Mawdudi's "Towards understanding the Qur'an") Additionally, Mawdudi writes, "Nevertheless, the information available to date does not enable us to form a definitive opinion concerning Dhul-Qarnayn's identity. God knows best. The explanation of Noble Quran, by Yousuf Ali, verse 18:86, foot-note 2030 Dated 1937 reads as follows: This is the first of the three episodes mentioned, his expedition to the
Page 2 of 3 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DISCLAIMER: This document in not intended to hurt any sects religious, emotional feelings. Any thing that is written by a human being is susceptible to errors (like the present day Bible). If there is any truth in this paper, then it is from Allh [ ,] the typo errors (if any) are from myself, Allh [ ] forgive me for my human / typo errors. I can be contacted at mailto:author@fareedsiddique.com. I will be happy to clarify any doubts from my Christian friends in particular and all others in general. Fareed Siddique

[Dhul-Qarnayn's sunrise sunset]

________________________________________________________________________ west, researching the setting of the Sun, does not means extreme west, for there is no such a thing. West and East are relative terms. It means western expedition terminated by a spring of Murky water. This has puzzled commentators, and has understood to mean the dark tempestuous sea. If Dhul-Qarnayn is Alexander the Great, the reference is easily understood to be Lychnitis [now Orchida], west of Macedonia. It is fed entirely by underground in a limestone region, where the water is never clear Also see the paper I have complied on the details of this Sun set and the Iron Gates, paper named Dhul Qarnayn and the Iron Gates
O my Learned Christian readers and Mr. Know-it-all, do you really want to turn your face away from the truth? Would you take man-made lies instead of truth of Islam in your lives? do you have any sense of reason? Do they have any thinking-heads? Does God stop you from thinking reasonably? Or would you like to regret in the hereafter. They will say, "If only we had really listened and used our intellect, we would not have been Companions of the Blaze." (Noble Quran, Surat al-Mulk: 10) or would the followers of St. Paul like to regret! O Mr. Know-it-all ! Respond to your Lord before a Day comes from Allah [,] which cannot be turned back. On that Day you will have no hiding-place and no means of denial. (Noble Quran, Surat ash-Shura: 47) I invite you, O my Christian readers, to use your intellect and be a true believer, a truthful submitter to your God Allah [ .] May Allah [ ] bestow upon you his mercy and help you understand the fallacies of the Christian Pauline religion of Saul of Tarus...Ameen, ya Rabbiziljalaal. Allah [ ] makes it very evident for you "W e shall show them Our signs on the horizons and within themselves until it will become clear to them that it is the Truth. Does it not suffice that your Lord is Witness over all things?" The noble Qur'an, Fussilat (41):53. "Verily! this Qur'an guides to that which is most upright, and gives glad tidings to the believers who work deeds of righteousness that theirs will be a great reward" The noble Qur'an, Al-Isra (17):9 Sadakhallah alazeem.

Color codes in this document: Red italics are the words of the present day bible KJV / RSV. Blue italics are the Holy verses of Quran Al-Kareem, Translations by Yousuf Ali / M. Pickthal. Normal blacks are my words, bolded emphases are added from my side. In this paper I am referring the name of the Author of the Anti-Muslim web sites as Mr. Know-it-all for the sole purpose of ease of my readers understanding.

Page 3 of 3 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DISCLAIMER: This document in not intended to hurt any sects religious, emotional feelings. Any thing that is written by a human being is susceptible to errors (like the present day Bible). If there is any truth in this paper, then it is from Allh [ ,] the typo errors (if any) are from myself, Allh [ ] forgive me for my human / typo errors. I can be contacted at mailto:author@fareedsiddique.com. I will be happy to clarify any doubts from my Christian friends in particular and all others in general. Fareed Siddique